We are 43 days away from college football kickoff. Another football Friday. Are you ready for the weekend? We have made it halfway through the year and halfway through Summer. Today, we have Darren Sproles and Troy Polamalu. Two more outstanding athletes here to entertain you on your lunch break while you make plans for the weekend. Be sure to check back tomorrow for #42 in our countdown to kickoff. Happy Football Friday!
Darren Sproles (43) Days Away From College Football Kickoff
Winning Wildcat
Darren Sproles is Kansas State’s all-time leading rusher and holds over 20 school and conference records.
Sproles was a First Team All-American in 2003 and finished with 1,986 rushing yards. He was named to the All-Big 12 team three times, earning first-team honors in 2003 and 2004 and second-team honors in 2002.
Sproles was a First Team All-American in 2003 and finished with 1,986 rushing yards. He was named to the All-Big 12 team three times, earning first-team honors in 2003 and 2004 and second-team honors in 2002.
In 2003, Sproles helped K-State win its first Big 12 title since 1934. He had 345 all-purpose yards, caught a 60-yard touchdown pass, and rushed for a Big 12 Championship Game record 235 yards to upset No. 1 Oklahoma.
Under Hall of Fame Coach Bill Snyder, Sproles finished his college career ranked 11th all-time in rushing and sixth in all-purpose yards in NCAA history. He is a member of the K-State Football Ring of Honor and left with 28 school records. As a senior captain, Sproles set program records for 4,979 rushing yards (still holds this record), 6,812 all-purpose yards (still holds this record), 24 – 100-yard rushing games ( and 10 consecutive 100-yard games. Sproles still holds three of the top five single-season rushing totals in Kansas State history, including the record 1,986 yards in 2003. His 2,735 all-purpose yards in 2003 remain a Big 12 and K-State single-season record, and he also holds conference records for career 100-yard games and all-purpose yards.
Sproles was selected in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers and played 15 seasons in the NFL with the Chargers, New Orleans Saints, and Philadelphia Eagles. He made the Pro Bowl three times and was part of the Eagles team that won Super Bowl LII. Sproles ranks sixth in NFL history with 19,696 all-purpose yards and set the single-season record with 2,696 yards in 2011.
Another Great #43, Troy Polamalu, USC
Troy Polamalu was named First Team All-American twice and earned consensus honors in 2002. That year, he was also a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the nation’s top defensive back. In the 2001 Las Vegas Bowl, he set a record with 20 tackles. Polamalu was also a two-time First Team All-Pac-10 pick and helped the 2002 USC team achieve its first 11-win season since 1979, a share of the conference title, and a No. 4 national ranking.
Polamalu served as team captain for two years and was named USC’s MVP in 2001 and Most Inspirational Player in 2002. He finished his four years at USC with 281 tackles and six interceptions. In 2001, he led the team with 118 tackles and three interceptions; in 2000, he led the team in interceptions and deflections. He is part of the Pac-12 All-Century Team and was inducted into the USC Athletics Hall of Fame in 2018.
Polamalu was picked in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers and played his entire 12-year career with them. He helped the Steelers reach three Super Bowls, winning two of them. While playing in the NFL, he also completed his degree at USC in 2011.
Polamalu served as team captain for two years and was named USC’s MVP in 2001 and Most Inspirational Player in 2002. He finished his four years at USC with 281 tackles and six interceptions. In 2001, he led the team with 118 tackles and three interceptions; in 2000, he led the team in interceptions and deflections. He is part of the Pac-12 All-Century Team and was inducted into the USC Athletics Hall of Fame in 2018.
Polamalu was picked in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers and played his entire 12-year career with them. He helped the Steelers reach three Super Bowls, winning two of them. While playing in the NFL, he also completed his degree at USC in 2011.
Editor’s Note: The countdown to college football kickoff has been a series on the Last Word on College Football social media platforms for the past 9 years. They consisted of a photo and a small blurb for each player, with the jersey corresponding to the number of days until kickoff. The rank of the players is sourced from articles by Bleacher Report, Fox Sports, and The Athletic. There are also some favorite players of the Last Word on College Football writers. Their bios are sourced from multiple online sources, including but not limited to the College Football Hall of Fame, their Heisman profiles, and school websites.
Main Photo: Kansas State Athletics
